Hybrid vs Electric: What's the Difference?

Wednesday, 14 February, 2018

One of the great things about Toyota
is that they provide consumers with a vast array of options. If you're looking
for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, then you'll probably want to invest
in an electric or hybrid vehicle. Although both use electricity to power their
engines, there are some differences between the two types of vehicles. These
are some of the basic things you should know about electric cars and hybrid
cars so that you can determine which type will best fit your needs:

What
is an Electric Car?

An electric car is a vehicle that
operates solely on electric power. Electric cars are incredibly efficient and
convert around 59 to 62 percent of their electrical energy, according to the
U.S. Department of Energy. This is a stark contrast to gas-fueled vehicles,
which only convert 17 to 21 percent of the energy in the gasoline that they
use.

Because electric cars don't use gas,
there's no need for an exhaust system. This means that they produce zero
emissions. Their batteries are also completely recyclable. There are numerous
other benefits to driving an electric car as well, including the cost of
operation, which is low as a result of the fact that electricity is much
cheaper than gas.

Additionally, electric cars have
much fewer moving parts in their engines, making them easier to maintain. You
also won't have to worry about changing the oil or the air filters like you
would have to do on a regular basis for a gas-powered car.

With a fully-charged battery, an
electric car can typically drive between 50 and 100 miles, which makes them
better suited for shorter commutes. To recharge, the electric car will need to
be plugged into a normal 13 amp power supply, which can be found in the home.
Because it takes a few hours to recharge, most owners will recharge their
electric cars at night.

What
is a Hybrid Car?

A hybrid car consumes between 30 and
60 percent less fuel than traditional gas-fueled cars, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hybrids are unique in that they are
built with two engines, one that runs on gas and one that runs on electric.

When in electric mode, a hybrid car
produces no emissions, just like an electric car. However, the inclusion of a
gas-powered engine allows it to switch over once the battery runs out of power,
which means that a hybrid car is able to go much longer distances than the
standard electric car.

A hybrid car is just as efficient as
an electric car, but it also comes equipped with a backup plan for when the car
runs out of electric power. Like electric cars, a hybrid can also be easily
plugged in to recharge its motor.

Both the electric car and the hybrid car are
excellent environmentally-friendly alternatives to standard gas-powered
vehicles. For information about our line of hybrid cars, be sure to contact us
at Bobby Rahal Toyota in Mechanicsburg, PA today.